The thing is, it's not uncool to worry about people who seem like they're going on the wrong path. There's nothing cool about being self-destructive. Patti Smith cooldestructivepath Change image and share on social
My dad got a job in a factory in Philadelphia, so I was raised in Germantown in a sort of a barracks for soldiers. They had housing for temporary housing. And then my parents saved money and bought a little house in South Jersey, built on a swamp. Patti Smith barrackbuildbuy share on social
In 1974, when I started working with the material that became 'Horses,' a lot of our great voices had died. We'd lost Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, and people like Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Patti Smith diegreathendrix share on social
When I was young, I knew William Burroughs really well. And William's secret desire, which he never quite did, was to write a straightforward detective novel. Patti Smith burroughsdesiredetective Change image and share on social
I work to Glenn Gould in the morning and go to sleep listening to Parsifal. Patti Smith glenngouldlisten Change image and share on social
In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth. Patti Smith abandonartbalance Change image and share on social
I haven't had the most thrilling lifestyle. I was a pretty good dresser, but I would have a pretty boring 'Behind the Music.' Patti Smith boredressergood Change image and share on social
It's taken me other places, but it was the impulse to write that led me to singing. I'm not a musician. I never thought of performing in a rock n' roll band. I was just drawn in. It was like being called to duty - I was called to duty, and I did my duty as best as I could. Patti Smith bandcalldraw share on social
It's not that I have compromised or anything, but it's always been important to me to take good care of myself and be a good example. I'm not much a role model in terms of hair care, though. Patti Smith carecompromisegood Change image and share on social
The reason we did 'Land of a Thousand Dances' and 'Gloria' on 'Horses' was because I liked repetitious, three-chord rock songs, but I didn't understand that I could write my own. I didn't realize that you could use those chords a million times. Patti Smith chorddancegloria share on social